Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Palhoça

For one person, living is cheaper in Palhoça: $872 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Palhoça, Brazil
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Palhoça
🇧🇷 Brazil
$872
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Palhoça

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Palhoça actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Phuket vs $872 in Palhoça, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Palhoça $872

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Phuket vs $1,364 in Palhoça, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Palhoça $1,364

A family of three spends $3,115 per month in Phuket vs $1,857 in Palhoça, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Palhoça $1,857

Phuket costs about 48% more than Palhoça, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Palhoça are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 4% lower, Palhoça 36% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Palhoça
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿148
$7.28 R$39.74
-39.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,090
$36.47 R$199
-11.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿294
$8.03 R$43.87
8.34%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.9
$2.24 R$12.21
21.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.39
$1.01 R$5.53
-7.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.85
$0.86 R$4.70
-41.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿85.4
$2.44 R$13.31
3.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿122
$3.35 R$18.28
8.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Palhoça
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.7
$0.93 R$5.07
87.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.95
$1.75 R$9.55
-17.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.7
$1.20 R$6.57
25.00%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.3
$2.36 R$12.90
-8.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿644
$9.24 R$50.4
106.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿115
$3.80 R$20.75
-10.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿368
$9.10 R$49.71
19.78%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿99.2
$2.17 R$11.86
35.48%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$0.97 R$5.28
74.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿74.0
$1.00 R$5.49
119.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.7
$1.47 R$8.04
44.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿49.21
$0.95 R$5.19
53.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿46.15
$0.83 R$4.54
65.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.30
$0.70 R$3.81
54.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.41
$0.70 R$3.84
-21.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿149
$2.72 R$14.84
62.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿616
$8.52 R$46.52
114.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.8
$1.35 R$7.36
31.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿97.2
$2.31 R$12.61
24.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Palhoça
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.84
$0.99 R$5.38
46.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,852
$40.55 R$221
35.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.22 R$6.66
23.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿26.18
$0.76 R$4.16
2.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿130
$6.29 R$34.36
-38.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿50.2
$1.19 R$6.47
25.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿907.0K
$21.5K R$117.2K
25.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿888.9K
$31.3K R$171.2K
-15.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Palhoça
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,300
$78.4 R$428
24.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿381
$12.15 R$66.4
-7.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿580
$21.68 R$118
-20.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Palhoça
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,305
$10.71 R$58.5
538.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿368
$10.92 R$59.6
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿251
$7.53 R$41.12
-1.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Palhoça
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.9K
$353 R$1,929
50.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿633.7K
$10.4K R$56.8K
80.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Palhoça
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,081
$58.8 R$321
4.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿953
$55.5 R$303
-49.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,239
$88.8 R$485
8.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,929
$64.0 R$349
35.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Palhoça
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.3K
$337 R$1,842
113.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.2K
$241 R$1,318
110.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.8K
$674 R$3,682
189.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿47.1K
$422 R$2,305
230.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿141.4K
$1,706 R$9,316
145.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿111.3K
$1,137 R$6,208
190.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Palhoça
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.6K
$560 R$3,056
-12.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
11.54
-51.73%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Palhoça: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Palhoça
$241 52.6% $267
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Palhoça
$187 29.8% $80
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Palhoça
$112 11.1% $14
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Palhoça
$120 2.1% $2.6
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Palhoça
$136 13.4% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Palhoça
$26 69% $57
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Palhoça
$50 25% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Phuket versus $337 in Palhoça. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 14% higher in Palhoça, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $36 in Palhoça. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Phuket vs $187 in Palhoça – so Palhoça wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇧🇷 Palhoça
🕒 Local time
23:41 11:41 PM
13:41 1:41 PM
10 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
222,598
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 5.46 BRL (1 BRL = 0.183 USD). 1 EUR = 6.11 BRL (1 BRL = 0.164 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Palhoça 15,920 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Palhoça

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Phuket vs Palhoça: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Palhoça cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 48%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Phuket and $1,308 in Palhoça. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Palhoça, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $337 there versus $721 in Phuket.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Palhoça?
Groceries cost about 43% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Palhoça?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $36 in Palhoça. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Palhoça?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Palhoça, where all-in costs run around $872, than in Phuket at $1,294. In Palhoça it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Palhoça more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Palhoça – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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